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Well just a thought...... Doesn't the computer will make the rear brake bulb glow if the running/tail light is bad??

The OP's light stays ON. The dash telltale will only indicate if the bulb isn't lighting.

But had just this situation happen last Sunday- someone I was riding with had his K1100 brake light stay on. Turns out one of the wires at the front brake lever had backed out and was touching the other terminal- so the light stayed on.

I have the same problem with my R1100RSL. My problem seems to be the front break lever. I just won't spring back the last 1/4" to trip the switch. It works fine if I just give it a little push after I use the brake. I had a look at it and don't see an adjustmet. Any ideas?

saves some $$

chances are it's the front lever micro siwtch. I've had two of them go bad on my 1100RT. To save some $$ because I'm a tight a$$, I took the old switch to Radio Shack and found an exact match of just the switch which I wired in for about $3.50. That's a pretty good savings over an OEM replacement harness for about $40.00. The only modification required was to bend the aqctuation arm a little so it engages the lever properly.

The switch is working fine. When I push the lever the last 1/4" the light goes off every time.
I was just down in the garage tinkering and I now have it so it works most of the time just with a couple quick squirts of WD40. There still seems to be something holding it back. Should I be looking at the cylinder?
There is a screw in the right position to be a stop for the lever but it looks like it has some red thread lock on it and I don't want to mess with it until I know what it is. I have a manual and no where in it does it show this screw. I also thought I might pull the pivot screw out and see if that's gummed up.
But not today. It's Ct's first 80 degree day and I wanna ride.

You should check the front brake reservoir assembly. This happened to me in Death Valley a couple of years ago on my '97 1100RT where the brake light stayed on and I guess added to the heat of July there, the tail light assembly holder actually melted and I had to replace the whole taillight unit (not cheap). The guy at BMW Manhattan never saw anything like it, I wish I'd taken a photo of it.

The cause of the switch staying on was more serious though, the front brake reservoir cylinder seal had leaked (a known problem on earlier RT's as it turns out) and and over time, gotten progressivly worse without showing any sign of dripping fluid. You can buy a kit from BMW to repair the cylinder/seal, but I recommend replacing the entire assembly.

I presume the 125 F temperature for 3 days didn't help matters, and likely was the final straw in causing the front brake to fail completely and leak brake fluid all over the side of the fairing, bubbling the paint.

This happened fourth of July weekend near Furnace Creek, so I was pretty stuck for any kind of servicing. I eventually got it back to San Francisco several days later using the rear brake (which finally wore to the metal near Big Sur) and engine braking, but it didn't make for the most relaxing of rides.

Long story short, I think the leaking fluid, shorted the contact switch and kept the brake switch on. Be absolutely sure to give the whole handlebar reservoir/lever assembly a thorough inspection before just replacing a switch, and if you don't feel confident in either repair or have doubts whether it is leaking or not, take it to the shop. No brakes, no fun!

The switch is working fine. When I push the lever the last 1/4" the light goes off every time.
I was just down in the garage tinkering and I now have it so it works most of the time just with a couple quick squirts of WD40. There still seems to be something holding it back. Should I be looking at the cylinder?
There is a screw in the right position to be a stop for the lever but it looks like it has some red thread lock on it and I don't want to mess with it until I know what it is. I have a manual and no where in it does it show this screw. I also thought I might pull the pivot screw out and see if that's gummed up.
But not today. It's Ct's first 80 degree day and I wanna ride.

Also, quick note, my lever was also slow to return and it was because of the leak gumming up the master cylinder, so it sounds like the same problem. you'll have to disassemble and check, if you see any kind of aluminum corrosion (white powdery residue) you know you have to replace it.

I rode it all day and the brakes and the switch are working fine...as long as I push the lever back the last 1/4". I'll take a closer look at the cylinder though. You're right....brakes are important to me too. Thanks